Disney Biz Journal’s Ray Keating Publishes His Second Alliance of Saint Michael Novel - “Subversion” Follows on the Well-Received “Cathedral”

 News

DisneyBizJournal.com

June 19, 2024

 

Did you know that Disney Biz Journal’s Ray Keating also is a novelist? His latest book – Subversion: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel – is a nail-biting work of historical fiction. This book follows on Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel.

 

Ray Keating talks about his new book – 

Subversion: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel

What’s happening in Keating’s book? With the Nazis on the rise in Germany, the Alliance of Saint Michael is called into action to aid a Jewish businessman and art collector in Berlin, while also countering pro-Nazi rumblings in America. The Alliance of Saint Michael brings together Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and Orthodox men and women with varied backgrounds and assorted talents to work against the two most significant threats to Christianity and civilization at the dawn of the 1930s - communism and fascism.

 

In Subversion, a priest is murdered on Long Island. Meanwhile, in Germany, a Jewish businessman and his wife are targeted for violence by members of the Nazi Party. What do these two events possibly have in common? Members of the Alliance of Saint Michael find themselves at the center of each situation, as they work to aid those in danger while countering Nazi lies within the Church.

 

Subversion is a work of historical fiction that hits hard on matters like antisemitism and politics corrupting the Church, while also being filled with characters that readers can care about and respect, thrilling action, love and friendship, and reflections on faith and helping others.

 

Keating, who also has penned 19 Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries (with more coming), said, “As I get deeper into the Alliance of Saint Michael series, I not only get to write some exciting historical fiction, but also explore how various individuals think and react with evil on the rise in what’s supposed to be a ‘civilized’ place. And yes, these are questions that have long plagued and continue to challenge humanity.”

 

Paperbacks and the Kindle editions of Subversion and Cathedral are available at Amazon.com, and signed books at www.RayKeatingBooksandMore.com.

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Thumbs-Up for Straczynski on Captain America

 by Ray Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 21, 2024

 

I’ve been a fan of Captain America since I was a kid. Indeed, as I’ve mentioned before, Captain America Marvel Comic books instilled a sense of joy for reading in me, and that led to reading more and eventually becoming a writer.

On a different front, I recently found and have delighted in the 1990s sci-fi television show Babylon 5. J. Michael Straczynski created and continues to be the driving force behind the Babylon 5 universe. Straczynski also has an extensive resume as a comic book writer, and starting last year, he’s been writing a run on Captain America comics. 

 

When I’ve parachuted in to read some comics in recent years, while there have been wonderful exceptions of solid storytelling, too much has offered uninteresting tales, poor-to-mundane artwork, and sometimes painful agendas. Questions came to mind. Among others, where have the great comic writers and artists gone, and where are the formidable new ones? 

So, Straczynski on the Cap title intrigued me. After all, Straczynski penned one of Cap’s all-time great speeches in comics (in a Spider-Man title - see below). 

I just finished the trade paperback collection of the first six installments in the series. I wasn’t disappointed.

 

Straczynski serves up an interesting story that jumps back and forth between Steve Rogers’ (before he becomes Captain America) early run-ins with Nazis in America, and current-day Cap helping others – from fellow superheroes to local neighbors – and taking on a dark, powerful evil. I also appreciated the role played by gangster Meyer Lansky with a young Rogers.

 

Straczynski drives home the essential issue that there really is no rest in terms of fighting against evil and for peace. This point coupled with the timeframe for part of this tale hit home for me as my Alliance of Saint Michael historical fiction touches on related challenges in the 1930s – with Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel soon to be followed by Subversion.

 

And yes, the forms that evil can take often repeat themselves.

 

I appreciated that the writing stayed faithful to the Steve Rogers-Captain America character; enjoyed the writing; and, for the most part, the artwork in these first issues in Straczynski’s run on Captain America. I look forward to reading more.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement and fun for Disney fans, including those who love Mickey, Marvel, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pixar, princesses and more.

 

Never miss any new book by Ray Keating by joining the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship with Ray Keating at

https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship.

 

Various books by Ray Keating…

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. There are 19 books in the series now.

 

• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel is at Amazon. 

 

• Order The Weekly Economist III: Another 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist, The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist, and The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist at Amazon.com.

 

• Signed editions of Ray’s books are at www.raykeatingbooksandmore.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

For a Limited Time – Get the Two Latest Pastor Stephen Grant Adventures by DisneyBizJournal.com’s Ray Keating for FREE!

 Join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship at the Bronze Reader level or higher, and receive For Better, For Worse and Christmas Bells at St. Mary’s for FREE! And get every new book by Ray Keating as a key benefit of your membership.

 

And with more books coming in Pastor Stephen Grant, Alliance of Saint Michael, and new series, this is the right time to join!

 

Find out more at 

https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship

 

If you savor exciting and thoughtful thrillers, mysteries, historical fiction, and more, then joining Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship is a great way to make sure you don’t miss any page-turners; you get thanked by name for your support in each new book; and you gain access to other cool stuff. 

 

As you know, Ray Keating is the author of 19 Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, as well as Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel, which is the first book in a historical fiction series. More books are coming in these series, as well as books in new series. So, don’t miss out!

Kickstarter for New, Exclusive Books by DisneyBizJournal's Ray Keating!

New Books Coming from DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating! Don’t Miss Out! 

The author of the Pastor Stephen Grant and Alliance of Saint Michael novels has a Kickstarter campaign that will launch in mid-September covering SEVEN limited-release novels exclusively available through this Kickstarter project. 

Sign up to get notified when the project officially launches at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/raykeatingnovels/7-exclusive-novels-from-ray-keating

“Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel” Released by Award-Winning Author and DisneyBizJournal.com Editor Ray Keating

Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel is a new edge-of-your-seat adventure from Ray Keating. This is his sixteenth work of fiction, and the first in the Alliance of Saint Michael series. 

The Alliance of Saint Michael brings together men and women with varied backgrounds and talents to work covertly against the two most significant threats to Christianity and civilization at the dawn of the 1930s - communism and fascism.

 

In Moscow, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is going to be obliterated to make way for the Palace of the Soviets. The Alliance of St. Michael readies itself for its first mission – find and salvage a rare item of great significance from the cathedral before the building is lost.

 

Cathedral is a work of historical fiction filled with interesting characters that readers will come to care about, nail-biting moments, thrilling action, assorted mysteries and questions, love, danger, friendship, and reflections on God, faith, war, one’s calling in life and more.

 

Ray Keating, who is known for penning 15 Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries (with more coming), said, “I’m excited to introduce new stories and characters set in a time of grave dangers. I found it particularly fascinating to explore how these characters choose to act in a time when Western Civilization is confronted by the challenges of both fascism and communism.”

 

Regarding Ray Keating, Kirkus Reviews calls his books “exhilarating.” Lutheran Book Review says, “I miss Tom Clancy. Keating fills that void for me.” The retired host of KFUO radio’s BookTalk declares, “Ray Keating is a great novelist.”

 

Paperbacks, hardcovers and the Kindle edition of Cathedral are available at Amazon.com, and signed books at www.RayKeatingOnline.com. 

 

Review copies, and author interviews and appearances are available upon request. 

 

Contact: Ray Keating

Phone: 631-909-1122

E-mail: raykeating@keatingreports.com